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eMOLT Update 2024-11-15
Weekly Recap
This week, we kicked off our expansion installs in earnest, with
eMOLT teams installing new systems on vessels in Cape May (NJ), Point
Judith (RI), Fairhaven (MA), and Portsmouth (NH). Thanks to the field
teams from Rutgers University, Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation,
Coonamessett Farm Foundation, and the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation
and the captains and crews from the F/Vs Salted, Edward and Joseph,
Linda Marie, Brooke C, Saga, and Gladys Elaine.

Figure 1 – A) Huanxin installs a mounting plate aboard the F/V
Gladys Elaine, B) Completed installation and a new sensor with zip ties
for tying into a lobster trap aboard the F/V Brooke C, C) F/V Edward and
Joseph, D) new sensor mounted to the starboard door of the F/V Linda
Marie, E) new DDH installed on the F/V Saga, F) Capt. Brady, Andre, and
Joey work on running wires and mounting the deckbox aboard the F/V
Salted.
This week, the eMOLT fleet recorded 32 tows of sensorized fishing
gear totaling 864 sensor hours underwater. The warmest recorded bottom
temperature was 58.8 F southeast of Weekapaug, RI in approximately 15
fathoms (red profile) and the coldest recorded bottom temperature was
45.7 F north of the Eastern Approach lane to Portland, ME in in
approximately 70 fathoms (blue profile). Below, you can see these
profiles plus a few other temperature profiles of interest across the
region from the last week.
The disintegrating warm core ring we’ve seen over the last few weeks
is still visible below the surface in the black profile, with warmer
water from what’s left of the ring interleaved with cooler shelf
water.

Figure 2 – Temperature profiles collected by eMOLT participants
over the last week. The blue profile is where the coldest bottom
temperature was measured and the red profile is where the warmest bottom
temperature was measured. All other colors are assigned randomly.
Colored points on the map indicate where profiles of the same color were
collected. The small dark green dots represent other profiles collected
this week, but not highlighted in the plot. Note that the warmest /
coldest bottom temperatures measured could have occurred during gear
soaks, which are not represented on this profile plot.
Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation and F/V J-Mar monitoring
low Dissolved Oxygen off New Jersey
Contribution from Linus Stoltz (CFRF Data Manager)
Since late September Capt. Frank on the F/V J-Mar, out of Pt.
Pleasant NJ, has been monitoring
DO in 65 feet of water just a few miles from shore with a Lowell
Instruments DOT sensor and DDH. Low DO water, characteristic of warmer
summer months, has persisted now through November. The DO has been
declining steadily since mid October which is unusual for the time of
year and as of November 12th even dipped into hypoxia (DO < 2mg/L). A
CTD cast made by Capt. Frank shortly after hauling the trap with DO
logger showed a
well-mixed water column which is atypical for observing hypoxia. The
J-Mar will haul this trap again sometime next week which should provide
more insight into this phenomenon. Thanks Capt. Frank!
Non-realtime eMOLT
As we start winding down the non-realtime Vemco program at the end of
this season and moving towards newer technology, we’ll be presenting
some summary statistics from the original eMOLT sites. This week’s plot
is a simple station plot with all the sites that span at least 15
years.

Figure 3 – a plot of non-realtime eMOLT sites with more than 15
years of observations. Warmer colors indicate additional years of
observations.
System Hardware Upgrade List
The following vessels remain on our list for hardware upgrades. If
you aren’t on the list and think you should be, please reach out.
Note that this list is different from our new install
queue.
- F/V Excalibur
- F/V Kaitlyn Victoria
- F/V Kyler C
- F/V Nathaniel Lee *
- F/V Noella C
- F/V Sao Paulo
- F/V Sea Watcher I
- F/V Virginia Marise
Courtesy of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the
Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association
Only a few oxygen readings were taken this week in Cape Cod Bay, and
all were in the “Normal” range. As fishing pressure and the threat of
hypoxia wind down for the season, this is likely the last DO update we
will publish until next year. You can still access the Mass DMF portal
at the link above.

Figure 4 – Dissolved oxygen observations from Cape Cod Bay
collected by participants in the eMOLT program and the Cape Cod Bay
Study Fleet program operated by Massachusetts Division of Marine
Fisheries and the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association over the past
week. Green dots indicate dissolved oxygen values in the normal range
(> 6 mg/L), yellow dots indicate low dissolved oxygen values (4-6
mg/L), orange dots indicate very low dissolved oxygen values (2-4 mg/L),
and red dots indicate critically low values (< 2 mg/L).
Bottom Temperature Forecasts
Doppio
This week, 62.5% of bottom temperature observations were within 2
degrees (F) of the Doppio forecasted value at those points. Across the
board, observed bottom temperatures were warmer than expected, but
especially along the shelf break from the Mid-Atlantic up to Southern
New England.

Figure 5 – Performance of the Doppio forecast’s bottom
temperature layer over the last week relative to observations collected
by eMOLT participants. Red dots indicate areas where bottom temperature
observations were warmer that predicted. Blue dots indicate areas where
bottom temperature observations were cooler than predicted. Bottom
temperature observations are compared with the most recent forecast run
available before the observation was made.

Figure 6 – The most recent Doppio bottom temperature forecast.
The gray line is the 50 fathom line and the black line is the hundred
fathom line. Purple shades indicate cooler water.
Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System

Figure 7 – The most recent bottom temperature forecast from the
Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System GOM7 model. Purple shades
indicate cooler water.

Figure 8 – The most recent bottom temperature forecast from the
Northeast Coastal Ocean Forecast System MassBay model. Purple shades
indicate cooler water.
Announcements
NOAA Accepting Applications for 2025 Atlantic Shark Research
Fishery
NOAA Fisheries is accepting applications from commercial fishermen
with Atlantic shark Directed or Incidental permits for participation in
the 2025 shark research fishery. Applicants must submit a completed
application and required vessel information by December 9, 2024 for
consideration. For more information or to apply, please visit the Highly
Migratory Species permitting website here.
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